Register for "America at 250: The Legacy of the Declaration of Independence"
2 February, 2026 8:30 AM CT - 2:15 PM CT | Hosted by: Region 11 ESC | White Settlement, TX | Discussion Leader: Robert Colby
Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. both argued that the proper foundation for civic education is the belief that America has a moral essence derived from the principles of the Declaration of Independence. America’s history and purpose—it’s past, present, and future—is the story of our struggle to live up to those principles. Our conversation with center around three documents that demonstrate that an American is not just a citizen or an abstract concept, but a certain kind of human being, a person whose mind and heart have been profoundly shaped by the principles contained in the Declaration. These words still resonate 250 years later for teachers, students, and citizens: “We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal.”
This program will be conducted as a discussion, utilizing primary source documents as the only readings with the Professor facilitating the conversation. Teachers will receive a Letter of Attendance at the conclusion of the seminar.

"It gave me a better understanding of the Founders’ views. They saw that restricting religious liberty is not only wrong; it leads to animosity within society. This year, I will begin both my government class and my class on “Law and Modern Society” with George Washington’s Letter to the Hebrew Congregation at Newport." — Sean B.